Veteran actor Terence Cao Guohui intends to plead guilty to breaching safe distancing rules at Mediacorp artiste Jeffrey Xu’s birthday party last year, his lawyer said in court yesterday. A party guest – Lance Lim Chee Keong – has also indicated his intention…

Veteran actor Terence Cao Guohui intends to plead guilty to breaching safe distancing rules at Mediacorp artiste Jeffrey Xu’s birthday party last year, his lawyer said in court yesterday.
A party guest – Lance Lim Chee Keong – has also indicated his intention to plead guilty, said one of his lawyers, Mr Cory Wong.
Cao and Lim each face a charge under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act for breaching phase two regulations that restricted social gatherings to five people.
Court documents state that Cao, 53, lives in a condominium apartment in Daisy Road, off Braddell Road, where the party was held.
He is said to have allowed 12 guests, including Lim, Mr Xu and fellow actor Shane Pow, 30, into the unit between 9pm on Oct 2 last year and 1am the following day.
Lim, 50, is accused of leaving his home to meet the partygoers “without reasonable excuse”.
Eleven of those who gathered have already been fined $300 in lieu of being prosecuted due to their lower level of culpability.
Mr Xu’s 32nd birthday party celebrations received flak on social media after pictures of the unmasked group went viral online.
Cao is expected to return to court on May 25. Lim’s case will be heard again on May 18.
First-time offenders who breach laws under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000.
This article first appeared in The Straits Times.